09/04/2008

South County Happenings
Today

State OKs single librarian for high school
The School Department had sought a waiver from the requirement that the high school employ two librarians.

Municipal Almanac
Today

ALAN ROSENBERG: A trip up an elevator, a trip back in time
I drove nearly a thousand miles last week to take my older son to Chicago, where I grew up, and where he’ll be spending the fall semester of his senior year of college. I thought there would be a chance for some father-son quality time over a couple of days in the car, time that was rare this summer, and that I sense will be far more rare in the future.

09/03/2008

Arts Briefs
Theater

Pet of the Week
I won the “Favorite Dog at the Shelter” award this week. There wasn’t a ceremony and I didn’t get a gold medal, but still, it’s nice to be appreciated. Especially when my life is so chaotic right now.

Health Briefs
Prostate cancer screenings/information: South County Hospital will host a lecture on prostate cancer tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. in its Potter Conference Center, 100 Kenyon Ave., Wakefield. Admission is free, but registration should be made by calling 788-1621.

Municipal Almanac
Today

Butterfly count results documented by Audubon Society
www.asri.org.

09/02/2008

Miscellaneous
Tourism council dinner: The South County Tourism Council will host its annual dinner Sept. 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Towers, 35 Ocean Rd., Narragansett. Tickets are $30, and may be reserved by calling 789-4422.

South County for Kids
Open story times: The Watch Hill Improvement Society Library hosts story times for all ages each Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., and Wednesday at 12:30 p.m.

South County Happenings
Today

Festivals & Sales
Flower show: The Rhode Island Dahlia Society is hosting its 43rd annual flower show this weekend at the Cold Spring Community Center, on Beach Street in Wickford. Hours are 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Lectures & Classes
Composting course: The University of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation are conducting a five-week composting and recycling training program beginning tomorrow, meeting Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. at the University of Rhode Island¹s East Farm, off Route 108 in Kingston. Two Saturday sessions, Sept. 6 and 13, will take place at the state landfill in Johnston and Earth Care Farm, a commercial composting facility in Charlestown.

Recreation Activities
Dance lessons: Dance lessons are conducted each Wednesday at The Towers, 35 Ocean Rd., Narragansett, with Swing and ballroom dancing from 6 to 7 p.m., followed by Latin dance at 7, beginners’ tango at 8, and intermediate tango at 9.

Group Activities
Bridge clubs: The South County Bridge Club organizes games of duplicate contract bridge each Thursday night at 6:30 at the Neighborhood Guild, 325 Columbia St., Peace Dale. For information, call Bill Niemi at 783-3118, Mildred Mahoney at 783-3560, or Bea Sparks at 783-1588. Bridge lessons are also offered each Tuesday, from 7 to 9 p.m., at the guild. To register, call 789-9301.

Seniors Briefs
Charlestown

Municipal Almanac
Today

Herbermann resigns school committee post
SOUTH KINGSTOWN — Citing work and family obligations, Natalie Herbermann resigned from the School Committee yesterday.

09/01/2008

Bike ride to memorialize cyclist struck and killed by car
A card celebrating 11 years since the day Lori M. DiBiasio and Frank J. Cabral met still sits on his pillow. The dining room table remains set for two, a candle at its center, plates awaiting food. Cabral’s worn canvas loafers rest by the door, nearly a year after his death.

Summer bike patrol
On a beautiful late summer afternoon last week, Patrolmen David Marler, left, and Michael Bronson, right, hop on their mountain bikes and take off from the South Kingstown Public Safety Complex, head down Curtis Corner Road to the William C. O’Neill (South County) Bike Path. Their shift has begun.

08/31/2008

South Kingstown boosts recycling program Sept. 1
A new townwide effort aims to increase recycling rates to 30 percent of the trash collected.

08/29/2008

Music festival in Charlestown
Charlestown will host its annual Rhythm & Roots Festival this weekend at Ninigret Park, 4813 Old Post Rd. Hours are 4 p.m. to midnight tonight, and noon to midnight tomorrow and Sunday. Tickets are $30 to $160, with senior discounts, and free to children 12 and under.

Primary races at a glance
Here are South County primary-election races at a glance. The election is Sept. 9.

Lectures & Classes
Composting course: The University of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation are conducting a five-week composting and recycling training program beginning Sept. 3, meeting Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the University of Rhode Island¹s East Farm, off of Route 108 in Kingston. Two Saturday sessions, Sept. 6 and 13, will take place at the state landfill in Johnston and Earth Care Farm, a commercial composting facility in Charlestown.

Economic concerns at the forefront in musical chairs primary
The six Democratic candidates, battling it out for five seats on the Town Council, all say the economy is their top focus.

Outdoor Activities
Birding weekend planned: Next Monday is the deadline to register for the Audubon Society of Rhode Island’s annual birding weekend on Block Island.

08/28/2008

Active lifestyle maintains Johnson
SOUTH KINGSTOWN — When she was growing up in Sweden, Martha Persson Johnson of South Kingstown didn’t like it when the boys told her she couldn’t play their games.

Miscellaneous
Fireworks: Misquamicut Beach will host a send-off to summer with a Labor Day fireworks display, Sunday night at 8:30 at the New Westerly Town Beach (Wuskenau). Admission is free.

Recreation
Pool open: The Narragansett Parks and Recreation Department’s outdoor pool, at 170 Clarke Rd., Narragansett, is open for free use by town residents Monday through Friday for open swimming from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., and an adult swim from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday the pool is open from noon to 5:30 p.m. For information, call 782-0658.

JORI gets green light for school
Camp JORI hopes to lease its property in the off-season to a boarding school for teenagers with language-based learning problems.

Groups
Bridge clubs: The South County Bridge Club organizes games of duplicate contract bridge each Thursday night at 6:30 at the Neighborhood Guild, 325 Columbia St., Peace Dale. For information, call Bill Niemi at 783-3118, Mildred Mahoney at 783-3560, or Bea Sparks at 783-1588. Bridge lessons are also offered each Tuesday, from 7 to 9 p.m., at the guild. To register, call 789-9301.

South County Happenings
Today

Municipal Almanac
Today

SOUTH COUNTY TRIVIA
Here’s our weekly trivia mini-quiz, drawn from the pages of South County Trivia, by Elmer R. Smith, reprinted here through the courtesy of the South County Tourism Council.

08/27/2008

Arts Briefs
Theater

Municipal Almanac
Today

Campaign Journal
Dave Coté, a candidate for state representative in Dist. 36 (Westerly, Charlestown, South Kingstown and New Shoreham), says that, if elected, he will be a “voice of common sense and reason for out-of-control state government spending.”

Options, but no consensus, on Matunuck
Residents and town officials discuss possible plans of attack to prevent or deal with beach erosion.

Letters to the editor
Matunuck

Giving
The Breakfast Club, a South County-based business networking group, has raised almost $700 for South Kingstown C.A.R.E.S. (Connecting All Resources for Educational Support), an organization which coordinates volunteer mentoring, tutoring, classroom aide and homework club programs in the local schools. The agency is looking for volunteers, and for someone to maintain its Web site. For information, call the volunteer clearinghouse SHO at 789-2362.

South County for Kids
Children’s festival: Theatre By The Sea, 364 Cards Pond Rd., Matunuck, is hosting a performance by Squeaky Clean, performing rock ’n’ roll classics from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, Friday at 10 a.m. and noon. Refreshments will be available, and craft activities will follow.

08/26/2008

South County Happenings
Today

Giving
Verizon Wireless has made a donation through its HopeLine Program to the Domestic Violence Resource Center of South County’s 24-hour Helpline.

Municipal Almanac
Today

2-year jail sentence in child porn case
SOUTH KINGSTOWN — A 28-year-old local man was sentenced to two years in prison after admitting to violating probation by possessing child pornography.

Photo contest winners named
The winning entries from the South County Tourism Council’s seventh annual photo contest are on view at the Courthouse Center for the Arts, on Route 138 in West Kingston, through Sept. 10.

Meeting to explore ways to stave off beach erosion
Town and state officials will discuss a consultant’s proposals for preserving the Matunuck shoreline.

Health Briefs
Prostate cancer screenings/information: South County Hospital will host a lecture on prostate cancer Sept. 4 at 6:30 p.m. in its Potter Conference Center, 100 Kenyon Ave., Wakefield. Admission is free, but registration should be made by calling 788-1621.

No criminal charges in Narragansett traffic death
The attorney general’s office calls the death of a 19-year-old URI student from New Jersey in April “a tragic accident, but not a crime.”

08/22/2008

Bus service changes take effect tomorrow
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority will make changes to its bus service effective tomorrow.

2nd librarian post a state decision
SOUTH KINGSTOWN — The fate of a second librarian position at South Kingstown High School remains in the hands of state education officials as the start of the new school year approaches.

STRING PERFORMANCE
It was family day at The Center in Wakefield, and South Kingstown seniors brought their grandchildren to the Torick Marionette Theatre performance of “The Adventures of Pinocchio.” Pulling the strings was the husband-and-wife team of Dusan Petran and Agnes Novak.

Municipal Almanac
Monday

Man charged in beating of Westerly woman
SOUTH KINGSTOWN — A Bristol man faces a felony domestic assault charge after he allegedly smashed pint glasses into his ex-girlfriend’s head at Casey’s Grill & Bar Monday night.

Restaurant dishes out fast food
SOUTH KINGSTOWN — Backstage at Theatre By The Sea’s restaurant kitchen, there’s high drama to be found every night, a dependable 90 minutes of fiery action, random moments of impending disaster, and a multi-layered love story electrifying the room.

Bristol man charged in assault
SOUTH KINGSTOWN — The police say a Bristol man faces a felony domestic-assault charge after smashing pint glasses into his ex-girlfriend’s head at Casey’s Grill & Bar.

08/21/2008

SOUTH COUNTY TRIVIA
Here’s our weekly trivia mini-quiz, drawn from the pages of South County Trivia, by Elmer R. Smith, reprinted here through the courtesy of the South County Tourism Council.

Group Activities
Bridge clubs: The South County Bridge Club organizes games of duplicate contract bridge each Thursday night at 6:30 at the Neighborhood Guild, 325 Columbia St., Peace Dale. For information, call Bill Niemi at 783-3118, Mildred Mahoney at 783-3560, or Bea Sparks at 783-1588. Bridge lessons are also offered each Tuesday, from 7 to 9 p.m., at the guild. To register, call 789-9301.

South County Happenings
Today

Two into Won
They’re both Democrats, they both come from well-known families and they both list addresses at homes owned by mom and dad.

A camp for the brave of heart
SOUTH KINGSTOWN — Under a sturdy old oak tree at the YMCA’s venerable Camp Fuller, 4-year-old Olivia Helms shared a memory of her late father with three clowns — and an admiring crowd.

A camp for the brave of heart
SOUTH KINGSTOWN — Under a sturdy old oak tree at the YMCA’s venerable Camp Fuller, 4-year-old Olivia Helms shared a memory of her late father with three clowns — and an admiring crowd.

08/20/2008

Municipal Almanac
Today

Campaign Journal
The Charlestown Citizens Alliance, a political action committee, has endorsed independents Richard H. Hosp, Gregg J. Avedisian and Marjorie F. Frank, and Republicans Forrester C. Safford and Charlene Q. Dunn, for the Town Council.

Recreation Activities
“Fools’ Rules”: With tongue firmly planted in cheek, members of the Jamestown Yacht Club will host their 31st “Fools’ Rules Regatta,” the annual competition for the “Worst Example of Naval Architecture” and other awards, Saturday at the Jamestown Town Beach, at East Ferry.

Health Briefs
“Healing touch” clinic: South Bay Manor, an assisted living facility at 1959 Kingstown Rd., Peace Dale, will host a clinic Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in “healing touch,” an alternative healing therapy based on the belief that humans are made up of energy fields that can be “realigned,” using hands-on techniques.

Arts Briefs
Theater

08/19/2008

Municipal Almanac
Today

South County Happenings
Today

Giving
West Kingston’s Courthouse Center for the Arts is seeking volunteers to act as ushers, distribute tickets and operate the concession during its theatrical performances. Also sought are people to put together the center’s quarterly newsletter, using a computer, which may be done from home.

Lectures & Classes
Blacksmith classes: South County Museum, on Strathmore Street in Narragansett, is conducting blacksmithing classes, for beginners, each Wednesday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., through August.

Festivals & Sales
Church sale: Christ United Methodist Church, 2291 Kingstown Rd., Kingston, will conduct a yard/white elephant sale Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.